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Just wanted to start a thread about what teams have surprised and raised some eyebrows and those teams who disappointed this year.

I only have been following the heritage conference so..........

My surprise team is Penns Manor. Only having 5 seniors on the team and only one who plays and losing all the players that they have the past three years this season has to be a pleasant surprise. They are 7-2 with a loss to Heritage Conference Champion Blairsville and the first game of the year to Homer Center. The team entered the toughest part of their schedule with multiple injuries. Starting Quarterback out with a broken hand, starting Halfback out with Mono, starting Middle Linebacker out with a torn ACL and playing with two potential starters who were lost before the season. They are playing with a Freshman Quarterback and two sophomore inside linebackers. Hands down in the Heritage Conference Penns Manor has been the biggest surprise. Coach Packer and his assistants year in and year out find ways to develop depth and win a lot of football games. Best Coaching Staff in Conference, with Homer Center next.

My biggest disappointment is Purchase Line. A senior laden team who I thought would contend for the Heritage Conference Championship and a top seed in the D6A playoffs. They have shown flashes at times, but losing to Ligonier Valley and to Penns Manor, who played without their starting QB, RB and MB is quite a disappointment. I hear fans say they would have won if their fullback and Receiver would have played and that is a crock of you know what. The PL coaching staff is more concerned about getting the running back records instead of winning ball games. True the running back is exceptional but winning should be the goal. In my opinion, one of the worst coaching staffs in the conference.

This is hard for me to say because I am a devout Red Dragon having played and graduated there.

Central has to be the surprise in AA, they are probably going to finish 8-2 with a lot of underclassmen. How about a 8-2 Altoona team who will make the playoffs although short lived.

Disappointment
--- all fans of BM and BC, two past powerhouses that appear to be a shell of their former team.

surprise Bedford?
disappointment Meyersdale?

I say the Red Raiders because against the "cream of the crop" on the Westpac they looked very second tier.

I can't really call McCort or Carroll disappointments if they were picked in the bottom third of the LHAC. I think the Tribune only picked McCort to win one game this year.

WhiteOwl wrote:Just wanted to start a thread about what teams have surprised and raised some eyebrows and those teams who disappointed this year.

I only have been following the heritage conference so..........

My surprise team is Penns Manor. Only having 5 seniors on the team and only one who plays and losing all the players that they have the past three years this season has to be a pleasant surprise. They are 7-2 with a loss to Heritage Conference Champion Blairsville and the first game of the year to Homer Center. The team entered the toughest part of their schedule with multiple injuries. Starting Quarterback out with a broken hand, starting Halfback out with Mono, starting Middle Linebacker out with a torn ACL and playing with two potential starters who were lost before the season. They are playing with a Freshman Quarterback and two sophomore inside linebackers. Hands down in the Heritage Conference Penns Manor has been the biggest surprise. Coach Packer and his assistants year in and year out find ways to develop depth and win a lot of football games. Best Coaching Staff in Conference, with Homer Center next.

My biggest disappointment is Purchase Line. A senior laden team who I thought would contend for the Heritage Conference Championship and a top seed in the D6A playoffs. They have shown flashes at times, but losing to Ligonier Valley and to Penns Manor, who played without their starting QB, RB and MB is quite a disappointment. I hear fans say they would have won if their fullback and Receiver would have played and that is a crock of you know what. The PL coaching staff is more concerned about getting the running back records instead of winning ball games. True the running back is exceptional but winning should be the goal. In my opinion, one of the worst coaching staffs in the conference.

This is hard for me to say because I am a devout Red Dragon having played and graduated there.

Just a note on PM. The halfback that is out with Mono was the backup QB. The freshman Adam Dumm never took a snap until 2 weeks ago. This was Tues. in Practice.

TAHS92Alum wrote:Central has to be the surprise in AA, they are probably going to finish 8-2 with a lot of underclassmen. How about a 8-2 Altoona team who will make the playoffs although short lived.

I must say graduating 18 of 22 starters from last years D6 championship team I was expecting a little more of a drop off as well. The sophomores and juniors have really stepped up!!!

I never thought I'd see the day Altoona would go 8-2 playing in the WPIAL, props to coach Franco and those kids!

These "surprises" are indicative of one thing: great coaching programs. When you have a system, a structure for readying athletes to compete that is successful, you know it's being done right.

People want to put the success of Penns Manor solely on Danny Ferens' shoulders when he was there, but I can state without hesitation that they had good football teams with solid kids throughout. Hats off to that staff.

I also am confused about Purchase Line; if you have a running back and running game that good, how are you not more successful?

CoachHooverLTS wrote: I also am confused about Purchase Line; if you have a running back and running game that good, how are you not more successful?

Just did a quick look at their stats because It's a good question...I'm guessing their defense giving up 27 points a game on average has something to do with It. Can't outscore everyone as they say....

The offense at Purchase Line hasn't been a problem at all. The only team that they couldn't consistently move the ball on was Blairsville. It has all been on their defense. If you score 40 points and lose it's clearly not your offenses fault.